1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fiber optic connector technology and more particularly, to a fiber channel-interchangeable fiber optic connector that allows quick interchange of fiber channels without dismounting the component parts.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the development and maturity of network technology, network data transmission requirements keep increasing. Under the strong demand for network data transmission, conventional cable transmission techniques cannot satisfy the various needs. Nowadays, fiber optic transmission technology has been intensively used for network data transmission applications for the advantages of high transmission speed, large data transmission capacity and accurate data transmission. In consequence, many different fiber optic connectors have been created for linking of fiber optic cables or fiber optic testing to widen fiber optic application range and to enhance the convenience of fiber optic applications. Because fiber optic cables are prepared by non-metallic materials, they yield excellent EMI shielding performance and confidentiality. For the aforesaid various advantages, optical fiber transmission media have been intensively used in different fields to substitute for conventional metallic cable transmission media.
Regular small package fiber optic connectors include 6 types, i.e., VF-45, MT-RJ, LC, LX.5, Opti-Jack and SCDC-SCQX. Among these specifications, VF-45, MT-RJ and LC are most popularly used.
The LC connector is a small form factor fiber optic connector with fiber spacing of 6.25 mm. It uses a 1.25 mm ferrule, half the dimension of the ST ferrule or a regular ceramic ferrule connector. The LC gives excellent performance and is greatly preferred for single mode transmission.
However, a LC connector is a duplex connector with two fiber channels. During application of a LC connector, it may need to interchange the two fiber channels. FIG. 10 illustrates a duplex connector according to the prior art. According to this design, the duplex connector comprises a housing A having a coupling A1 at the rear side, two mounting holes A2 at the front side and a retaining block A21 in each mounting hole A2, two connectors B respectively mounted in the mounting holes A2, each connector B consisting of a connector housing B1, a boot B2, a spring member B3 and a connection member B4 that has a locating groove B41 forced into engagement with the retaining block A21 in one respective mounting hole A2 of the housing A, and an optical cable C secured to the coupling A1 of the housing A by a constraint relief D and a coupling E with the two optical-fiber cores C1 thereof respectively inserted through the coupling A1 of the housing A into the boots B2 of the connectors B in the mounting holes A2 of the housing A.
The housing A consists of a first shell member A3 and a second shell member A4. The first shell member A3 comprises two hooks A31 respectively located on the front side of the left sidewall and rear side of the right sidewall, and two hook holes A32 respectively located on the rear side of the left sidewall and front side of the right sidewall. The second shell member A4 comprises two hooks A41 respectively located on the rear side of the left sidewall and front side of the right sidewall, and two hook holes A42 respectively located on the front side of the left sidewall and rear side of the right sidewall. By means of forcing the hooks A31 and hook holes A32 of the first shell member A3 into engagement with the hook holes A42 and hooks A41 of the second shell member A4, the first shell member A3 and the second shell member A4 are assembled.
When detaching the first shell member A3 and the second shell member A4 for interchange of the fiber channels, the user cannot detach the respective hooks A31 and A41 from the respective hook holes A42 and A32 by the hands. At this time, a special hand tool must be used so that the first shell member A3 and the second shell member A4 can be detached from each other. After separation of the first shell member A3 and the second shell member A4, the two connectors B in the mounting holes A2 of the housing A must be interchanged. After interchange of the fiber channels, the first shell member A3 and the second shell member A4 must be fastened together again. This fiber channel interchanging operation is complicated and requires a special hand tool. When interchanging the two connectors B, the optical-fiber cores C1 of the optical cable C may be damaged accidentally.
Therefore, there is a strong demand for a fiber optic connector that eliminates the aforesaid problems.